Output of the data entry checking syntax program

California Inventory for Family Assessment (CIFA)

by Paul D. Werner, Ph.D. and Robert-Jay Green, Ph.D.

Data Entry Instructions for Computer Scoring

(182 item -- 4 point response format)

Explanation of output in checking

SPSS data file entry

Remember to delete the first (blank) line of the cifaitem.por file when you enter your data

After entering the responses for one CIFA version for one group, run check_por.sps

Output section 1:

This section gives frequency distributions or descriptive statistics on all variables as read in. Review this section of the output carefully and determine whether any “impossible” values are present (e.g., an age that is “too old” or “too young” for your sample, response to the items that are out of range

Output section 2:

This section lists cases that have missing data on any items of the CIFA. First, cases on which at least one item has been entered as blank are listed. The family number from data line 1 and the number of blanks across items are listed. (Remember that there should be no blanks in the data entry of items -- missing item responses should be entered as zeroes. Next, the family number from data line 1 and the number of zeroes entered across items are listed.

IF THE CHECKS ABOVE INDICATED NO PROBLEMS IN YOUR DATA ENTRY, congratulations!

The first variables in the file are identifying codes, and these are followed by item responses and demographic variables. Note that the saved file contains unused variables that are reserved for future development of the CIFA. You should ignore these for now superfluous variables.

IF THE CHECKS ABOVE INDICATED ONE OR MORE PROBLEMS IN YOUR DATA ENTRY,

(a) identify the source(s) of the problem(s)

(b) correct your data file and resave it

and (d) rerun this syntax problem.

You may need to go through this process multiple times until you are confident that your SPSS data file correctly represents your respondents’ item data

Return to the CIFA SPSS Data Entry page

Return to the California Inventory for Family Assessment home page

Contact information for the authors of the California Inventory for Family Assessment